Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Francis Rous (?1581–1659), religious writer and politician. From classical Latin psēphisma and its etymon ancient Greek ψήϕισμα decree enacted by a vote of a public assembly from ψηϕίζειν to vote, originally with pebbles (from ψῆϕος pebble + -ίζειν) + -μα.